


Survival of the Snake

by Cott



Series: The story of the Founders [2]
Category: Harry Potter - Fandom, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: First Meetings, Gen, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-18
Updated: 2016-08-18
Packaged: 2018-08-09 13:30:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7803763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cott/pseuds/Cott
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Salazar's story: how he became aquainted with Godric. His tragic youth comes out into the open.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Survival of the Snake

**Author's Note:**

> Prequel to my story Battlefield Romance.

Salazar was ten. He had been collecting firewood for their little family- his parents, himself, and his adorable brother, who was now three and followed him everywhere. He was in the middle of stocking the wood when he heard a high-pitched scream.  
"Tell me about the scream," he hissed to his pet adder. It slithered towards the sound. However, it returned too quickly for Salazar's liking.

  
_"Master, the house is on fire, the non-magicals are burning it!"_ It hissed urgently. Salazar's eyes widened. He ran to his home.  
The house, once a neat little cottage, was falling down. Flames were devouring everything. Screams were emmitting from the house, but the people surrounding it were laughing.  
"Look at them!" One shouted. "Those witches are no match for us Holy Knights!" Cheers rose from the crowd. Salazar fell to his knees. If it weren't for his pet snakes dragging him to safety, he would have been caught too.

  
Salazar didn't, no- couldn't sleep that night. After all the people dispersed, he ran to the site. There he found his wand. The wand, which had been hidden in a fireproof box hadn't been burned in the fire. When he found all three bodies of his family, he buried them by digging the ground with his wand. He then salvaged what he could from the remains of his house- some potions and a sword with his name engraved on it. He left the house afterwards, unable to look back because of the pain. That night, he vowed to survive. To kill the people that burned his precious family and avenge them. After making that vow, Salazar finally broke down. He cried and cried. Even his pet snakes couldn't calm him down.

  
Salazar traveled far and wide after his family died. He always wore a cloak to conceal his wand and eye color, an uncommon stormy grey. He luckily found a place where some wizards were living in secrecy, and they raised young Salazar. But when Salazar turned seventeen, he returned to their hiding place to find the wizards fighting some Holy Knights. They managed to throw the Knights off, and all of them apparated to another place. There the wizards all agreed to part ways to avoid getting caught. Salazar was once more parted with his family. He was wandering when he collided with a body. The person who ran into him fell down on top of him. Salazar grunted with surprise and pain. The person stood up quickly.

  
"Oh! I'm sorry- are you okay?" The voice came from a handsome young man. He helped Salazar up. Salazar looked at the young man. Strawberry-blonde hair with emerald-green eyes... He identified the man as one of the sons of Lord Gryffindor. He hurriedly apologized to the young man. The man shook his head.

  
"Nonsense! I wasn't looking where I was going. I should be aplogizing. Say, if you would, I would like to invite you to dinner. You look so tired and bedraggled! Will you come?" Salazar thought hard for some minutes. He was afraid of revealing hinself to others but a prospect of a proper dinner was too tempting for him to resist. He agreed to go, and a excited Gryffindor led him to his castle chatting all the while. Names and ages were exchanged, and both discovered that they were the same age. Salazar answered when questions were asked, but kept quiet for the majority of the time. When they finally arrived at the castle, Salazar felt joy, however small it might be. Godric Gryffindor, as he introduced himself, ran inside after telling Salazar where to go. Salazar was escorted to a big living place. There were a lot of weapons on the wall, and Salazar was looking at them when Godric returned. He was wearing a big smile on his face.

  
"Salazar! Father will dine with us! Wail until you see him- he is extraordinary in many ways." Salazar wondered what this meant, but soon forgot it while talking with Godric sone more. Soon a servant came to tell them that dinner was ready, and the two rose to go to the dining room.

  
Godric's father, Lord Gryffindor was already there. Salazar bowed to him, and the Lord waved him to his seat with a smile. Food was served, and Salazar enjoyed a peaceful meal until Godric threw a question: "Salazar? What's that on your belt?"  
Salazar froze, his spoon falling from his hand. Godric realized his mistake and hurriedly reassured his newfound friend. "Nonono, it's okay! I have one too! Look-" And he pulled out a wand. Salazar's mouth dropped open.

  
The son of Lord Gryffindor.

  
A.

  
Wizard?

  
His father let out a sigh pulling out his own wand too. Salazar almost fainted. The most famous family in this region- was magical?! Nobody had suspected them of witchcraft. The family head had even been knighted! Salazar couldn't believe his eyes. Godric had to wake him up from his state by showering him with cold water conjured fron his wand.  
Afterwards, the three talked for a long time. Salazar explained his current situation, and the Gryffindors offered him a place to stay. Salazar said that he didn't want to inconvenience them, but Godric insisted. The yound wizard thanked both Gryffindors repeatedly, a small teartrack making itself known. Godric held his hand tightly.

After seven years of pain and suffering, Salazar finally found a place that he could stay peacefully. He was in good hands. The years that he had been forced to go into hiding were over. Now he had only one goal to accomplish.

  
Revenge on the ' **Holy Knights** '- the fiends who stole his family all these years ago.


End file.
